Novel polyphenylsulfone (PPSU)/nano tin oxide (SnO2) mixed matrix hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) were fabricated by dry-wet spinning via phase separation method. In the current research, reported the ...contrast between neat PPSU membrane and nanocomposite membranes (PPSU/SnO2), to determine the toxic reactive dyes namely, reactive black-5 (RB-5) and reactive orange-16 (RO-16) removal ability from the aqueous media. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the HFMs cross-sectional morphological changes and surface roughness parameters of membranes were analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface wettability ability of HFMs was examined with a contact angle, water uptake, and porosity measurements. The cross-flow filter unit was engaged to quantify the water permeability, anti-fouling ability as well as the dye rejection ability of fabricated membranes. With increasing the SnO2 NPs wt% in PPSU polymer matrix the membrane performance was enhanced continuously, it became evident that the incorporated SnO2 NPs plays main role in membrane performance. Added, water-soluble poly (vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) can also impact the pore morphology in membranes. At the end, PS-3 membrane exhibited lower contact angle (63.7 0), higher water uptake (74.8%), porosity (84.1%), pure water flux 362.9 L/m2 h, and high potential for dyes rejection application, of about >94% for RB-5, and >73% for RO-16 dye, respectively. From the preliminary results, it can be stated that the usage of SnO2 NPs in membrane technology become effective towards wastewater treatment.
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•Novel PPSU/nano SnO2 mixed hollow fiber membranes were fabricated by dry-wet spinning via phase separation process.•The cross-flow filter unit was engaged to check the permeability and rejection efficacy of the membranes.•The nanocomposite membranes showed better outcomes.•The PS-3 membrane displayed dyes rejection above 94% and 73% for RB-5 and RO-16 dyes, respectively.
Objectives This study sought to: 1) determine the feasibility of using 3-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3D TTE) in patients with implantable cardiac resynchronization devices, ...pacemakers, and defibrillators to visualize the device leads in the right heart and their position relative to the tricuspid valve leaflets; 2) determine the prevalence of different lead positions; and 3) study the relationship between lead location and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity. Background Pacemaker, defibrillator, and cardiac resynchronization device implantation is currently guided by fluoroscopy, not allowing targeted lead positioning relative to the tricuspid valve leaflets. These leads have been reported to cause TR of variable degrees, but echocardiography is not routinely used to elucidate the mechanisms of lead interference with tricuspid valve leaflets in individual patients. Methods 3D TTE full-volume images of the right ventricle and/or zoomed images of the tricuspid valve were obtained in 121 patients with implanted devices. Images were viewed offline to determine the position of the device-lead relative to the tricuspid valve leaflets. Severity of TR was estimated on the basis of vena contracta measurements. Results 3D TTE clearly depicted lead position in 90% of patients. The right ventricular lead was impinging on either the posterior (20%) or septal (23%) leaflet or was not interfering with leaflet motion (53%) when positioned near the posteroseptal commissure or in the central portion of the tricuspid valve orifice. In the remaining patients, leads were impinging on the anterior leaflet (4%) or positioned in either the anteroposterior or anteroseptal commissure (3%). Leads interfering with normal leaflet mobility were associated with more TR than nonimpinging leads (vena contracta: median 0.62 cm 1st and 3rd quartiles: 0.51, 0.84 cm vs. 0.27 cm 1st and 3rd quartiles: 0.00, 0.48 cm; p < 0.001). Conclusions 3D TTE showed a clear association between device lead position and TR. To minimize TR induced by device-leads, 3D TTE guidance should be considered for placement in a commissural position.
Abstract
Escalating the growth of industrialization and urbanization in the world demands the development of advanced infrastructure which in turn required a higher quality of raw materials. As ...cement is one of the major raw materials in concrete construction its demand for rising with the development of society. But the increased production of cement produces lots of environmental problems. So, there is a high requirement for a sustainable alternative of cement that have similar cementitious properties as cement. To address this problem experimental study is designed to use the binary blending of cement with rice husk ash (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) as a replacement for cement. The study is further extended to analyse the effect of ternary blending of cement using further (5%, 10% and 15%) replacement of cement by sugarcane bagasse in optimum binary blended combination. Also, 25% of recycled fine aggregate is used in experiment as fine aggregate replacement throughout the mixes to achieve sustainability. Workability, compressive strength and flexural strength test were performed on concrete sample. The result of the study reveals that the workability of concrete mixes decreases with increases in the percentage of replacement both in binary and ternary mixes. In binary blending optimum strength is achieved at 15% replacement of cement with rice husk ash whereas in ternary blending 10% replacement by sugarcane bagasse ash with 15% rice hush ash was found optimum. Further, concrete shows 17.7% increase in compressive strength and 16% increase in flexural strength under the permissible value of workability. Study concluded that binary blending improve strength property and ternary blending further improve strength of concrete resulting in sustainability in construction.
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) represents a unique subset of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Acute kidney injury (AKI) is implicated in DKD progression; however, their interplay is not ...studied well. We studied risk factors for AKI and the effect of AKI on disease progression in a homogeneous group of patients with DKD.
We conducted a retrospective open cohort study of patients with DKD at a single tertiary care centre between August 2016 - August 2019. Patients with a minimum follow-up of 2 years were included in the study. The incidence, etiology and risk factors for AKI were studied. The primary outcome studied was the effect of AKI on reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in DKD. Loss in eGFR by 50% and need for renal replacement therapy or reaching CKD stage V were studied as secondary outcomes.
Two hundred and ninety-two DKD patients meeting the study criteria with a follow-up of 29.57 (±4.3) months were included. The incidence of AKI was 31.1%. Sepsis was the most common etiology (61%). Proteinuria was an independent risk factor for AKI after adjusting for covariates (adjusted OR - 1.158; 95% CI (1.018-1.316); p=0.025). In patients with AKI, median decline in eGFR was 10.29 mL/min/1.73m
/year (IQR-5.58-13.84) which was significantly higher compared to patients with no AKI eGFR 7.25 (IQR 5.06-11.38); p-0.014. On subgroup analysis, sepsis-induced AKI (versus non-sepsis AKI; p<0.001) and higher AKI stage (stage 2/3 versus stage 1; p=0.019) were associated with a faster decline in eGFR.
AKI is common in patients with DKD with sepsis being the most common etiology. AKI in diabetic kidney disease is associated with a faster decline in eGFR. Baseline proteinuria is an independent risk factor for AKI.
The main impetus of the research is to inquire into the fintech adoption behaviour of India's GenY population. The focus of this research paper is to enlarge the scope of the planned behaviour theory ...by including other exogenous variables, information quality (IQ), and readiness to pay for privileges. Responses from the 349 selected higher education students based on judgmental sampling were collected from various institutes of repute in India. The suggested framework was evaluated using the Smart PLS 4 software bootstrapping method. It was found that multiple hypotheses framed in the study exert notable impact besides the belief that there is a direct linkage between observed behavioural control (OBC) and actual intention (AI). The paper confirms the application of the theory of planned behaviour for the effective implementation of fintech in India. It was observed that information quality is one of the crucial elements which influences the fintech adoption behaviour. The research enriches past studies by expanding the blueprint of a theory of planned behaviour by identifying the information quality factor as the influencing intent and behaviour. The reliability and validity of the suggested framework were analyzed after keeping in mind the impact of a business environment's constantly changing dynamic forces. The study identified the primary constructs affecting the fintech adoption behaviour with a particular focus on the GEN Y population of India. It will also help the financial technocrats to optimally utilize the immense underlying capabilities of the fintech users and strategically launch more user-friendly products and services.
The study is concerned with entropy minimization on three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic Oldroyd-B fluid flow with relaxation–retardation viscous dissipation and a mixed chemical reaction. A ...numerical solution of the nonlinear transport equations is obtained using an overlapping grid spectral collocation numerical scheme. We investigate strategies for entropy generation minimization in terms of system parameters such as the mixed convection parameter and changes in thermal and concentration fields under different conditions. Further, the findings on changes in the axial and transverse skin friction coefficients, the Nusselt number and the Sherwood number are presented.
Bis(1-methylimidazol-2-yl) diselenide (MeImSe), a derivative of selenoneine, has been examined for bimolecular rate constants for scavenging of various radiolytically and non-radiolytically generated ...reactive oxygen species (ROS). Further, its potential to show glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like activity and to protect
models of DNA and lipid against radiation induced strand breakage and lipid peroxidation, respectively were studied. The results confirmed that MeImSe scavenged all major short-lived (hydroxyl radical) and long-lived (peroxyl radical, carbonate radical, nitrogen dioxide radical, hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide) oxidants involved in the radiation toxicity either directly or through GPx-like catalytic mechanism. The rate constants of MeImSe for these oxidants were found to be comparable to analogous sulfur and selenium-based compounds. The enzyme kinetics study established that MeImSe took part in the GPx cycle through the reductive pathway. Further, MeImSe inhibited the radiation induced DNA strand cleavage and lipid peroxidation with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC
) of ∼ 60 μM and ∼100 μM, respectively. Interestingly, MeImSe treatment in the above concentration range (>100 μM) did not show any significant toxicity in normal human lung fibroblast (WI26) cells. The balance between efficacy and toxicity of MeImSe as a chemical radioprotector was attributed to the formation of less reactive intermediates during its oxidation/reduction reactions as evidenced from NMR studies.HighlightsMeImSe, a derivative of selenoneine protects DNA and lipid from radiation damageMeImSe scavenges all major short- and long-lived oxidants involved in radiation toxicityRate constants of MeImSe for ROS scavenging determined by pulse radiolysis techniqueFirst organoselenium compound reported to scavenge nitrogen dioxide radicalMeImSe exhibits GPx-like activity through reductive pathway.
The demand for fresh drinking water is sky rocketing with the world's increasing population, urbanization and various industrial growth. However, toxic heavy metals and metalloids like arsenic is ...contaminating the drinking water. Arsenic is poisonous, carcinogenic and mutagenic for millions of population. We hereby proposing in-house fabricated novel hollow fiber membranes using polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) and pore-forming agent polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) along with increased concentrations of bio-inspired hydrophilic additive polydopamine (PDA) for removal of arsenic-V from the drinking water. The crystallinity of PDA was interpreted by X-ray diffraction. The morphology, topology and membrane surface chemistry of fabricated membranes were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicated that, for the PDA-contained membranes overall performance was increased in terms of membrane hydrophilic characteristics and rejection efficacy. A 3 wt% of PDA in PPSU/PVP (PDA-3) executed enhanced arsenate (As-V) removal as high as 87.15% with flux of 31.80 L/m2h, which was higher than the neat membrane (PDA-0) as 67.70% with flux of 15.07 L/m2h for 5 mL/L arsenic-V aqueous solution at 0.2 MPa transmembrane pressure. Improved antifouling properties were observed from PDA-contained hollow fiber membranes, as evidenced by the improved flux recovery ratio and superior thermal stability. The mechanical properties (tensile strength) of pristine and PDA-contained membranes was also investigated.
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•Amalgamation of Polydopamine (PDA) and PVP was carried out to fabricate the PPSU Hollow Fiber membranes.•Hollow fiber membranes of five different combinations were fabricated and were characterized by various techniques.•Increased dosages of polydopamine, improved membrane’s hydrophilic, fouling resistance and overall properties.•PDA contained membrane showed increased 85.1% arsenic removal and flux 31.8 L/m2h as compared neat membrane.
•Investigations on the influence of annealing temperature on transverse piezoelectric coefficient (d31) value, and vibration sensing performance of ZnO thin films deposited on a flexible metal alloy ...(Phynox) substrate.•In-house designed and developed experimental set-up for vibration sensing studies is discussed.•ZnO thin film annealed at an optimized temperature of 300°C, possesses higher d31 coefficient value of 7.2pmV−1 and generates relatively higher first peak output voltage of 147mV during vibration sensing studies.•The variation of piezoelectric d31 coefficient value and magnitude of the output voltage generated during vibration sensing studies followed exactly similar trend over the entire range of annealing temperature variation.•Higher the piezoelectric d31 coefficient value of ZnO thin film better is the vibration sensing performance.
The present experimental study investigates the influence of post-deposition annealing on the transverse piezoelectric coefficient (d31) value of ZnO thin films deposited on a flexible metal alloy substrate, and its relationship with the vibration sensing performance. Highly c-axis oriented and crystalline ZnO thin films were deposited on flexible Phynox alloy substrate via radio frequency (RF) reactive magnetron sputtering. ZnO thin film samples were annealed at different temperatures ranging from 100°C to 500°C, resulting in the temperature of 300°C determined as the optimum annealing temperature. The crystallinity, morphology, microstructure, and rms surface roughness of annealed ZnO thin films were systematically investigated by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), respectively. The piezoelectric d31 coefficient value was measured by 4-point bending method. ZnO thin film annealed at 300°C was highly c-axis oriented, crystalline, possesses fine surface morphology with uniformity in the grain size. This film showed higher d31 coefficient value of 7.2pmV−1. A suitable in-house designed and developed experimental set-up, for evaluating the vibration sensing performance of annealed ZnO thin films is discussed. As expected the ZnO thin film annealed at 300°C showed relatively better result for vibration sensing studies. It generates comparatively higher peak output voltage of 147mV, due to improved structural and morphological properties, and higher piezoelectric d31 coefficient value.
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